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Strengthening Global Bonds: Hangzhou's Sister City Initiatives

In July 2025, the vibrant city of Hangzhou proudly celebrated its rich tapestry of global connections, notably through its thriving sister city partnerships. This thriving city now boasts connections with 31 sister cities and 46 friendly cities across five continents, showcasing a robust international collaboration philosophy.

During a recent event, three-year-old Yu Shuya enthusiastically donned a Brazilian football jersey to greet Renato de Almeida Freitas Junior, a 42-year-old Brazilian attorney and a promising political star. Their meeting highlighted the warmth and hospitality shared by the residents of Hangzhou and their Brazilian counterparts, as both cultures bond over their love for the beautiful game of football.

Renato expressed optimism about the potential for football to deepen ties between Hangzhou and Curitiba, Brazil, particularly given their official partnership established in 2001. He envisioned joint training programs for players and coaches, as well as youth engagement activities aimed at fostering sportsmanship and cultural appreciation.

The Hangzhou International Communication Center (HZICC) plays a pivotal role in leveraging these relationships to stimulate the exchange of ideas and cultures. A series of dialogues titled “A Tale of Two Cities” has been initiated, engaging residents from Hangzhou in conversations with participants from its partner cities around the globe. This platform features marathon runners from Boston sharing their sports narratives, conducting orchestras from Bangkok discussing the universal language of music, and tourism professionals from Queenstown in New Zealand examining collaborative travel initiatives.

An unforgettable moment occurred when Italian documentary filmmaker Leonardo Cinieri Lombroso met Gu Jiafeng, a producer based in Hangzhou. Their conversation transcended career paths, revealing a wealth of shared cultural heritage and interests between Hangzhou and Verona. Similarly, educators and students from Rockwell College in Cork and Hangzhou High School Qiantang collaborated on discussions regarding educational innovation and cultural exchange in the digital age.

As the bonds between Hangzhou and Leeds strengthen, conversations among four British youths reflected on entrepreneurship and visions for future cities. Max Wheatley, a student from the SOAS University of London, remarked that initial similarities can spark connections, which, through recognizing differences, can blossom into lifelong friendships.

In a significant development in April 2025, the third-largest city in Serbia, Niš, signed a memorandum of understanding with Hangzhou to pursue friendly cooperation. HZICC facilitated the promotion of Hangzhou in Serbia, where local residents eagerly shared their connections to China, including touches from a curator at the Red Star Belgrade Museum and a local lotus flower grower sharing a heartfelt message of “friendship lasts forever.”

In anticipation of the upcoming tenth anniversary of their sister city relationship with Istanbul, the HZICC engaged prominent Turkish archaeologists like Nezih Başgelen and Murat Sav, both expressing keen interest in the Liangzhu culture of Hangzhou, and arriving with commemorative artifacts from Göbekli Tepe.

Through these diverse exchanges and initiatives, Hangzhou’s commitment to fostering global relationships continues to create bridges that connect cultures, ideas, and aspirations, further enriching its vibrant cosmopolitan ethos. As the city embraces these connections, it sets an inspiring example of how cities can unite through shared values and collaborative efforts, turning global challenges into opportunities for innovation and cooperation.